US20220113097A1 - Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger - Google Patents
Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20220113097A1 US20220113097A1 US17/430,608 US202017430608A US2022113097A1 US 20220113097 A1 US20220113097 A1 US 20220113097A1 US 202017430608 A US202017430608 A US 202017430608A US 2022113097 A1 US2022113097 A1 US 2022113097A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- open celled
- foam metal
- celled foam
- heat exchanger
- liquid
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 63
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 title claims abstract description 53
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 53
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 34
- 210000003041 ligament Anatomy 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 claims description 16
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 abstract 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 27
- 239000007769 metal material Substances 0.000 description 10
- 238000005229 chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 description 9
- 239000006262 metallic foam Substances 0.000 description 9
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 7
- 230000000996 additive effect Effects 0.000 description 7
- 239000006261 foam material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 6
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 5
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 238000005219 brazing Methods 0.000 description 4
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000000280 densification Methods 0.000 description 4
- -1 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 4
- RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Titanium Chemical compound [Ti] RTAQQCXQSZGOHL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000011152 fibreglass Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000010936 titanium Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052719 titanium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 229910001369 Brass Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910000906 Bronze Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Butadiene Chemical compound C=CC=C KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Chromium Chemical compound [Cr] VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910000599 Cr alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910000640 Fe alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229920001774 Perfluoroether Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004696 Poly ether ether ketone Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- PPBRXRYQALVLMV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Styrene Chemical compound C=CC1=CC=CC=C1 PPBRXRYQALVLMV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000010951 brass Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010974 bronze Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000011651 chromium Substances 0.000 description 2
- KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper tin Chemical compound [Cu].[Sn] KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920005669 high impact polystyrene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004797 high-impact polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000011133 lead Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910001092 metal group alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000002984 plastic foam Substances 0.000 description 2
- BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N platinum Chemical compound [Pt] BASFCYQUMIYNBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229920003223 poly(pyromellitimide-1,4-diphenyl ether) Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920002530 polyetherether ketone Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920002635 polyurethane Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004814 polyurethane Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920006353 Acrylite® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- NLHHRLWOUZZQLW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acrylonitrile Chemical compound C=CC#N NLHHRLWOUZZQLW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920004943 Delrin® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004593 Epoxy Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004812 Fluorinated ethylene propylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006370 Kynar Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920005479 Lucite® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000006091 Macor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000877 Melamine resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- VVQNEPGJFQJSBK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Methyl methacrylate Chemical compound COC(=O)C(C)=C VVQNEPGJFQJSBK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920000784 Nomex Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005372 Plexiglas® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004736 Ryton® Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006362 Teflon® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920004738 ULTEM® Polymers 0.000 description 1
- HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Zinc Chemical compound [Zn] HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- MUBKMWFYVHYZAI-UHFFFAOYSA-N [Al].[Cu].[Zn] Chemical compound [Al].[Cu].[Zn] MUBKMWFYVHYZAI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001242 acetic acid derivatives Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229920006397 acrylic thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium oxide Inorganic materials [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3] PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 1
- OSGAYBCDTDRGGQ-UHFFFAOYSA-L calcium sulfate Inorganic materials [Ca+2].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O OSGAYBCDTDRGGQ-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- ZOMBKNNSYQHRCA-UHFFFAOYSA-J calcium sulfate hemihydrate Chemical compound O.[Ca+2].[Ca+2].[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O.[O-]S([O-])(=O)=O ZOMBKNNSYQHRCA-UHFFFAOYSA-J 0.000 description 1
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007795 chemical reaction product Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011507 gypsum plaster Substances 0.000 description 1
- JDSHMPZPIAZGSV-UHFFFAOYSA-N melamine Chemical compound NC1=NC(N)=NC(N)=N1 JDSHMPZPIAZGSV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000010445 mica Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052618 mica group Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004763 nomex Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052697 platinum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229920001084 poly(chloroprene) Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920003229 poly(methyl methacrylate) Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002492 poly(sulfone) Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004417 polycarbonate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000515 polycarbonate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000098 polyolefin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000013824 polyphenols Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920002223 polystyrene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003870 refractory metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N silicon carbide Chemical compound [Si+]#[C-] HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910010271 silicon carbide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229920002379 silicone rubber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004945 silicone rubber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010561 standard procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002123 temporal effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- ISXSCDLOGDJUNJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N tert-butyl prop-2-enoate Chemical compound CC(C)(C)OC(=O)C=C ISXSCDLOGDJUNJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011701 zinc Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
- F28F13/003—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F21/00—Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials
- F28F21/08—Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials of metal
- F28F21/081—Heat exchange elements made from metals or metal alloys
Definitions
- Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of heat exchangers. More particularly, the embodiments of the present invention are directed toward low cost—high performance heat exchangers that utilize open celled foam metal.
- Open celled foam metal materials have many uses. These materials have been engineered and manufactured as heat exchanger solutions. The primary use for open celled foam metal heat exchanger applications primarily resides within the air and space market segments due to the need for high performance and low weight requirements. Examples of where the product has been used as a heat exchanger includes satellite mirrors, computer heat sinks on aircraft, commercial space expeditions, powered electronics cooling, and the European Mars Rover, NASA.
- Open celled foam metal materials have structures that generally take on the characteristics of a base alloy. These base alloys typically consist of low temperature alloys such as aluminum, copper, zinc, and other refractory metals.
- the advantages of an open celled foam structure is that the material offers high surface areas and outstanding strength to weight ratios. Unlike closed cell foams, gases, liquids, and other mediums may pass through the open pores of the material. This enables the material to be ideal for use as a phase change heat exchanger, air/liquid cooled heat exchanger, air to air heat exchanger, liquid to liquid heat exchanger, cold plates, and a number of other heat transfer applications that take advantage of the high surface area and the permeable lattice structure.
- Open celled foam materials that are manufactured using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) type processes utilize a host structure as a base for additive materials. These host structures are typically plastic or other materials that do not have the same composition as the CVD additive. The result is that CVD type manufactured foams are considered hollow and therefore result in lower thermal reduction properties due to significantly lower cross-sectional area. This material disadvantage reduces the performance of CVD type materials and presents limitations that are not encountered by open celled foam metals produced without CVD type processes.
- CVD chemical vapor deposition
- DUOCEL® produced by ERG Aerospace since 1967, is an example of an open celled foam metal produced without CVD or other such additive manufacturing processes.
- production begins with a commercially available conventional foam, such as reticulated polyurethane having the desired pattern for the end product, that serves as a form.
- the conventional foam is embedded in mold material, such as plaster of paris, which sets to form a solid structure in and around the plastic foam.
- mold material such as plaster of paris
- the resulting foam metal is a reticulated structure of integrally formed solid metal ligaments and open cells with pores connecting adjacent cells.
- the solid metal ligament structure provides improved properties compared to the hollow ligaments formed from additive manufacturing processes.
- Open celled foams can also be compressed further increasing the surface area to volume ratio. This type of compression is not possible with CVD or additive manufactured foam structures
- Open celled foam metal materials including DUOCEL®, are manufactured in a range of pore sizes. These sizes include 5 pores per inch (PPI), 10 PPI, 20 PPI, and 40 PPI.
- PPI pores per inch
- the advantage of having different pore sizes is that the material may be optimized for different applications based on the pressure drop requirements of a heat exchanger and the thermal performance. As an example, if high pressure drop is a primary requirement of an end user, then the 40 PPI material can be chosen to provide adequate pressure drop given the higher surface area. Conversely, a 5 PPI material may provide less pressure drop but have less thermal heat transfer leading to lower performance. Therefore, there is a pressure drop and heat transfer performance consideration for the specific open celled foam metal material chosen.
- an open celled foam metal material including DUOCEL®
- DUOCEL® open celled foam metal material
- a 5 PPI piece of open celled foam metal may be modified at the individual ligament level to achieve relative density ranges anywhere from 3 to 20 percent relative density (relative to the weight of the solid alloy, or volume fraction of the metal).
- the relative density much like the PPI, may be modified as a design parameter to meet end user requirements. This design customization further enables an open celled foam metal to meet precise customer pressure drop and thermal performance criteria.
- heat exchangers from suitable open celled foam metal materials, such as DUOCEL®, that are both high performance and affordable to manufacture. Doing so expands the use of such materials to include jet engines, cars, and electronic cooling structures where high demand may be achieved through optimum manufacturability. Doing so also enables such materials the ability to directly compete with 3-D printed structures, CVD type, and pin fin type heat exchangers currently available to the air and space market segments where high demand throughput may be achieved.
- the heat exchanger design is scalable to meet a wide variety of different energy levels for both fluids and air. This includes a design for 1 kilowatt energy removal systems, 2 kilowatt energy removal systems, 3 kilowatt energy removal systems, and more.
- each flow field includes the use of an open celled foam metal material, such as DUOCEL®, specific for a given pressure drop and heat transfer requirement.
- FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) for heat transfer given pressure drop.
- FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a combination of open celled foam metal panels ( 4 ) where a combination of hot panels ( 2 ) and cold panels ( 3 ) are combined to create a counter flow heat exchanger.
- FIG. 2A is a top view of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) showing one embodiment of the direction of fuel and oil input and output.
- FIG. 2B is a top view of an individual hot panel ( 2 ) where the hot fluid inlet ( 5 ) and outlet ( 6 ) are shown.
- FIG. 2C is a top view of an individual cold panel ( 3 ) where the cold fluid inlet ( 7 ) and outlet ( 8 ) are shown.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a single cell ( 15 ) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open celled foam material prior to densification showing the ligament ( 16 ) and pore ( 17 ) structures.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cell ( 15 ) from a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open celled foam material after densification that has improved heat transfer given a certain pressure drop showing the ligament ( 16 ) and pore ( 17 ) structures.
- FIG. 5 is a chart that shows the different geometries of individual ligaments that are considered for fluid flow given laminar and turbulent options; size bar is 1 mm.
- FIG. 1A illustrates an open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) for heat transfer given pressure drop.
- FIG. 1B illustrates a vertical cross section of the structure of the heat exchanger ( 1 ), which is comprised of a combination ( 4 ) of at least one hot panel ( 2 ) and at least one cool panel ( 3 ) enclosed in an impermeable container ( 10 ).
- the impermeable container ( 10 ) can be made of appropriate heat stable substances.
- the impermeable container ( 10 ) of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) is made of heat stable substances that have insulating properties, including, but not limited to, A.B.S.
- acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene acetates, acrylics (e.g. ACRYLITE®, LUCITE®, plexiglass, etc.) ceramics (e.g. MACOR®, alumina, etc.), DELRIN®, epoxy/fiberglass, FEP, fiberglass laminates, high impact polystyrene (HIPS), KAPTON®, KAPTREX®, KYNAR®, melamine, MELDIN® 7001, mica, neoprene, NOMEX®, NORYLTM, nylon, PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), P.E.T.G., phenolics, PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), polycarbonate, polyester, polyolefins, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyurethane, TEFLON®, polyvinylchloride, REXOLITE® 1422 &2200, RYTON
- materials capable of efficient heat transfer such as metals and metal alloys (e.g. aluminum, copper, brass, steel, bronze, etc.) are preferred.
- metals such as stainless steel, alloys of iron and chromium, lead, and titanium are preferred.
- a cool liquid such as fuel enters a channel ( 12 ) along the outer edge of the cool panel ( 3 ) that is separated from the hot panel ( 2 ) by an impermeable barrier ( 11 ) and then passes through an open celled foam metal structure ( 9 ) before exiting into a channel ( 13 ) located on the other side of the open celled foam metal structure ( 9 ).
- a hot liquid such as oil
- FIG. 2 A illustrates the liquid flow of one embodiment of the impermeable container of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) as seen from the top.
- the hot liquid e.g. oil
- the cool liquid e.g. fuel
- the inlet for the hot liquid is located at the opposite corner on the same side as the outlet for the cool liquid and the outlet for the hot liquid is located at the opposite corner on the same side as the inlet for the cool liquid.
- FIG. 2B illustrates an individual hot panel ( 2 ) while FIG. 2C illustrates an individual cold panel ( 3 ).
- Each of the hot panels ( 2 ) and cool panels ( 3 ) have an impermeable base ( 12 ).
- Suitable materials for the impermeable base include heat stable substances capable of efficient heat transfer such as metals and metal alloys (e.g. aluminum, copper, brass, steel, bronze, etc.). In some embodiments, however, metals such as stainless steel, alloys of iron and chromium, lead, and titanium are preferred.
- An open celled metal foam material ( 9 ), such as DUOCEL® is located on the impermeable base.
- the open celled metal foam material is heat stable and capable of efficient heat transfer and is typically made of a low temperature alloy including, but not limited to, aluminum, carbon, copper, platinum, silicon carbide, and zinc.
- the open celled metal foam material is placed on the impermeable base such that fluid enters the panel through an inlet ( 5 , 7 ), flows into and must pass through the open celled metal foam material ( 9 ) prior to exiting the panel at an outlet ( 6 , 8 ).
- the open celled metal foam material ( 9 ) is centered on the impermeable base such that an open space ( 12 , 13 ) exists between the impermeable base ( 11 ) of the panel, the impermeable container ( 10 ), the open celled metal foam material ( 9 ), and either the impermeable base ( 11 ) of the panel above or the top of the impermeable container ( 10 ) encasing the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) (see FIG. 1B ).
- the fluid inlet ( 5 , 7 ) enters the open celled metal foam material ( 9 ) directly.
- FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of a cell ( 15 ) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open cell foam material ( 9 ) prior to densification.
- each cell ( 10 ) is a three-dimensional 14-faceted polyhedral (tetrakaidekahedron) structure.
- Each cell ( 10 ) is defined by ligaments ( 16 ) which create a pore ( 17 ); however, because the ligaments ( 16 ) are interconnected, each pore ( 17 ) is a component of at least two cells ( 15 ).
- the resulting structure is there for identical in all three directions and is considered isotropic. Consequently, because all of the pores ( 17 ) are interconnected, fluids are able to pass freely into and out of the open celled foam material ( 9 ).
- FIG. 4 illustrates a single cell ( 15 ) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open cell foam material ( 9 ) after densification.
- the relative density controls the cross-sectional shape of the ligaments ( 16 ), as shown in FIG. 5 .
- the cross-sectional shape of the ligaments ( 16 ) varies depending upon the relative density. Moving from a low density (e.g. 3-5%) to a higher density (e.g. 11-13%), the ligaments transition from a triangular prism shape with sharp corners through an intermediate triangular prism with rounded corners and culminating in almost a perfect cylindrical shape.
- the calculated pressure drop is within and as close as possible to the allowable pressure drop.
- the fluid flow passes through a field of open celled foam metal material, such as DUOCEL®, which provides enhanced material coverage while reducing pressure drop.
- open celled foam metal material such as DUOCEL®
- the cross field flow of hot and cool fluids allows precise selection of pore numbers and ligament geometry for enhanced performance, especially in situations where turbulent and laminar flow fields differ given viscosity and Reynolds numbers.
- improved results are obtained with open celled metal foam having 40 pores per inch (PPI) and 7-8% relative density and is compressible
- the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) can be manufactured at low cost using standard vacuum brazing, dip brazing and/or casting techniques known in the art.
- the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger ( 1 ) of the invention is suitable for use in jet engines, car engines, and electronic cooling structures.
Abstract
Description
- Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of heat exchangers. More particularly, the embodiments of the present invention are directed toward low cost—high performance heat exchangers that utilize open celled foam metal.
- Open celled foam metal materials have many uses. These materials have been engineered and manufactured as heat exchanger solutions. The primary use for open celled foam metal heat exchanger applications primarily resides within the air and space market segments due to the need for high performance and low weight requirements. Examples of where the product has been used as a heat exchanger includes satellite mirrors, computer heat sinks on aircraft, commercial space expeditions, powered electronics cooling, and the European Mars Rover, NASA.
- Open celled foam metal materials have structures that generally take on the characteristics of a base alloy. These base alloys typically consist of low temperature alloys such as aluminum, copper, zinc, and other refractory metals. The advantages of an open celled foam structure is that the material offers high surface areas and outstanding strength to weight ratios. Unlike closed cell foams, gases, liquids, and other mediums may pass through the open pores of the material. This enables the material to be ideal for use as a phase change heat exchanger, air/liquid cooled heat exchanger, air to air heat exchanger, liquid to liquid heat exchanger, cold plates, and a number of other heat transfer applications that take advantage of the high surface area and the permeable lattice structure.
- Open celled foam materials that are manufactured using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) type processes utilize a host structure as a base for additive materials. These host structures are typically plastic or other materials that do not have the same composition as the CVD additive. The result is that CVD type manufactured foams are considered hollow and therefore result in lower thermal reduction properties due to significantly lower cross-sectional area. This material disadvantage reduces the performance of CVD type materials and presents limitations that are not encountered by open celled foam metals produced without CVD type processes.
- Other additive manufacturing processes, including 3-D printing, have similar disadvantages. Most 3-D printing techniques create slip planes in between layers. Consequently, inconsistent temperature profiles during the additive manufacturing process create such degraded boundary layer effects. These factors cause lower thermal performance.
- DUOCEL®, produced by ERG Aerospace since 1967, is an example of an open celled foam metal produced without CVD or other such additive manufacturing processes. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,814, production begins with a commercially available conventional foam, such as reticulated polyurethane having the desired pattern for the end product, that serves as a form. The conventional foam is embedded in mold material, such as plaster of paris, which sets to form a solid structure in and around the plastic foam. The structure is then heated to volatilize and expel the plastic foam, leaving voids in the mold corresponding to the original configuration of the foam. Molten metal is then cast through the voids in the mold and permitted to cool and set prior to washing away the mold structure. The resulting foam metal is a reticulated structure of integrally formed solid metal ligaments and open cells with pores connecting adjacent cells. The solid metal ligament structure provides improved properties compared to the hollow ligaments formed from additive manufacturing processes. Open celled foams can also be compressed further increasing the surface area to volume ratio. This type of compression is not possible with CVD or additive manufactured foam structures
- Open celled foam metal materials, including DUOCEL®, are manufactured in a range of pore sizes. These sizes include 5 pores per inch (PPI), 10 PPI, 20 PPI, and 40 PPI. The advantage of having different pore sizes is that the material may be optimized for different applications based on the pressure drop requirements of a heat exchanger and the thermal performance. As an example, if high pressure drop is a primary requirement of an end user, then the 40 PPI material can be chosen to provide adequate pressure drop given the higher surface area. Conversely, a 5 PPI material may provide less pressure drop but have less thermal heat transfer leading to lower performance. Therefore, there is a pressure drop and heat transfer performance consideration for the specific open celled foam metal material chosen.
- It is also possible to control the relative density of an open celled foam metal material, including DUOCEL®, for each of the pore sizes referred to above. In other words, it is possible to add material to the individual ligaments of the open celled foam metal to create relative density ranges. As an example, a 5 PPI piece of open celled foam metal may be modified at the individual ligament level to achieve relative density ranges anywhere from 3 to 20 percent relative density (relative to the weight of the solid alloy, or volume fraction of the metal). The relative density, much like the PPI, may be modified as a design parameter to meet end user requirements. This design customization further enables an open celled foam metal to meet precise customer pressure drop and thermal performance criteria.
- While some open celled foam metal materials, such as DUOCEL®, have been available for a number of years, and allow customization to create high performance heat exchangers, costs associated with designing and manufacturing such improved heat exchangers has made the product less desirable compared to cheaper pin-fin style heat exchange systems.
- Therefore, there is a need to develop heat exchangers from suitable open celled foam metal materials, such as DUOCEL®, that are both high performance and affordable to manufacture. Doing so expands the use of such materials to include jet engines, cars, and electronic cooling structures where high demand may be achieved through optimum manufacturability. Doing so also enables such materials the ability to directly compete with 3-D printed structures, CVD type, and pin fin type heat exchangers currently available to the air and space market segments where high demand throughput may be achieved.
- Furthermore, there is a need for improved heat transfer performance that is modular in design, given pressure drop for different energy level requirements. In other words, the heat exchanger design is scalable to meet a wide variety of different energy levels for both fluids and air. This includes a design for 1 kilowatt energy removal systems, 2 kilowatt energy removal systems, 3 kilowatt energy removal systems, and more.
- It is a further objective of the present invention to create heat exchangers from open celled foam metal materials, such as DUOCEL®, that may be mass manufactured using vacuum brazing, dip brazing, or casting techniques. These standard techniques may be used for aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium, and other common and emerging heat transfer alloys.
- It is yet a further objective of the present invention to provide methods of manufacturing flow channels that allow fluid distribution across a flow field of an open celled foam material, such as DUOCEL®. These flow channels ensure enhanced material coverage while reducing pressure drop but are designed to address pressure drop over length considerations.
- It is a further objective of the present invention to use cross channel flow fields where each flow field includes the use of an open celled foam metal material, such as DUOCEL®, specific for a given pressure drop and heat transfer requirement.
- It is a further objective of the present invention to consider the geometry of the individual ligament structures to improve flow across each individual ligament where turbulent and laminar flow fields differ given viscosity and Reynolds numbers.
- The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention.
-
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) for heat transfer given pressure drop.FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a combination of open celled foam metal panels (4) where a combination of hot panels (2) and cold panels (3) are combined to create a counter flow heat exchanger. -
FIG. 2A is a top view of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) showing one embodiment of the direction of fuel and oil input and output.FIG. 2B is a top view of an individual hot panel (2) where the hot fluid inlet (5) and outlet (6) are shown. -
FIG. 2C is a top view of an individual cold panel (3) where the cold fluid inlet (7) and outlet (8) are shown. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a single cell (15) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open celled foam material prior to densification showing the ligament (16) and pore (17) structures. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cell (15) from a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open celled foam material after densification that has improved heat transfer given a certain pressure drop showing the ligament (16) and pore (17) structures. -
FIG. 5 is a chart that shows the different geometries of individual ligaments that are considered for fluid flow given laminar and turbulent options; size bar is 1 mm. - The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals will be used to identify the same or similar elements throughout the several views. It should be noted that the drawings should be viewed in the direction of orientation of the reference numerals.
- In addition, while the embodiments illustrate liquid flow, heat exchange between hot and cool gases is also envisioned and encompassed by the invention. Therefore, the invention should not be viewed as limited to liquids.
-
FIG. 1A illustrates an open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) for heat transfer given pressure drop.FIG. 1B illustrates a vertical cross section of the structure of the heat exchanger (1), which is comprised of a combination (4) of at least one hot panel (2) and at least one cool panel (3) enclosed in an impermeable container (10). The impermeable container (10) can be made of appropriate heat stable substances. In some embodiments the impermeable container (10) of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) is made of heat stable substances that have insulating properties, including, but not limited to, A.B.S. (acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene), acetates, acrylics (e.g. ACRYLITE®, LUCITE®, plexiglass, etc.) ceramics (e.g. MACOR®, alumina, etc.), DELRIN®, epoxy/fiberglass, FEP, fiberglass laminates, high impact polystyrene (HIPS), KAPTON®, KAPTREX®, KYNAR®, melamine, MELDIN® 7001, mica, neoprene, NOMEX®, NORYL™, nylon, PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), P.E.T.G., phenolics, PFA (perfluoroalkoxy), polycarbonate, polyester, polyolefins, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyurethane, TEFLON®, polyvinylchloride, REXOLITE® 1422 &2200, RYTON®, silicone/fiberglass, silicone rubber, TECHTRON®, ULTEM®, and VESPEL® SP-1. In some embodiments, materials capable of efficient heat transfer such as metals and metal alloys (e.g. aluminum, copper, brass, steel, bronze, etc.) are preferred. In yet other embodiments, however, metals such as stainless steel, alloys of iron and chromium, lead, and titanium are preferred. - In the embodiment shown, a cool liquid, such as fuel, enters a channel (12) along the outer edge of the cool panel (3) that is separated from the hot panel (2) by an impermeable barrier (11) and then passes through an open celled foam metal structure (9) before exiting into a channel (13) located on the other side of the open celled foam metal structure (9). Simultaneously, or in temporal proximity, a hot liquid, such as oil, enters a channel (12) along the outer edge of the hot panel (2) and passes through an open celled foam metal structure (9) in the opposite direction as the liquid flowing through the cool panel (2) before exiting into a channel (13) located on the other side of the open celled foam metal structure (9).
-
FIG. 2 A illustrates the liquid flow of one embodiment of the impermeable container of the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) as seen from the top. Here, the hot liquid (e.g. oil) enters the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) at the outside corner of one end of the heat exchanger (1) and exits at the opposite side and opposite end of the heat exchanger (1). Similarly, the cool liquid (e.g. fuel), enters the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) from the opposite corner of the same end as the inlet for the hot liquid and exits from the opposite corner of the same end as the outlet for the hot liquid. In other embodiments, the inlet for the hot liquid is located at the opposite corner on the same side as the outlet for the cool liquid and the outlet for the hot liquid is located at the opposite corner on the same side as the inlet for the cool liquid. -
FIG. 2B illustrates an individual hot panel (2) whileFIG. 2C illustrates an individual cold panel (3). Each of the hot panels (2) and cool panels (3) have an impermeable base (12). Suitable materials for the impermeable base include heat stable substances capable of efficient heat transfer such as metals and metal alloys (e.g. aluminum, copper, brass, steel, bronze, etc.). In some embodiments, however, metals such as stainless steel, alloys of iron and chromium, lead, and titanium are preferred. An open celled metal foam material (9), such as DUOCEL® is located on the impermeable base. The open celled metal foam material is heat stable and capable of efficient heat transfer and is typically made of a low temperature alloy including, but not limited to, aluminum, carbon, copper, platinum, silicon carbide, and zinc. The open celled metal foam material is placed on the impermeable base such that fluid enters the panel through an inlet (5, 7), flows into and must pass through the open celled metal foam material (9) prior to exiting the panel at an outlet (6, 8). In some embodiments, the open celled metal foam material (9) is centered on the impermeable base such that an open space (12, 13) exists between the impermeable base (11) of the panel, the impermeable container (10), the open celled metal foam material (9), and either the impermeable base (11) of the panel above or the top of the impermeable container (10) encasing the open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) (seeFIG. 1B ). In other embodiments, the fluid inlet (5, 7) enters the open celled metal foam material (9) directly. -
FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of a cell (15) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open cell foam material (9) prior to densification. Typically, each cell (10) is a three-dimensional 14-faceted polyhedral (tetrakaidekahedron) structure. Each cell (10) is defined by ligaments (16) which create a pore (17); however, because the ligaments (16) are interconnected, each pore (17) is a component of at least two cells (15). The resulting structure is there for identical in all three directions and is considered isotropic. Consequently, because all of the pores (17) are interconnected, fluids are able to pass freely into and out of the open celled foam material (9). -
FIG. 4 illustrates a single cell (15) of a relative density continuous one-piece insoluble reticulated open cell foam material (9) after densification. The relative density controls the cross-sectional shape of the ligaments (16), as shown inFIG. 5 . As can be seen inFIG. 5 , while the number of pores of an open celled metal foam material (9) remains constant, the cross-sectional shape of the ligaments (16) varies depending upon the relative density. Moving from a low density (e.g. 3-5%) to a higher density (e.g. 11-13%), the ligaments transition from a triangular prism shape with sharp corners through an intermediate triangular prism with rounded corners and culminating in almost a perfect cylindrical shape. - Currently, managing pressure drop during thermal design of heat exchangers is a significant problem. Ideally, the calculated pressure drop is within and as close as possible to the allowable pressure drop. In the invention, the fluid flow passes through a field of open celled foam metal material, such as DUOCEL®, which provides enhanced material coverage while reducing pressure drop. The cross field flow of hot and cool fluids allows precise selection of pore numbers and ligament geometry for enhanced performance, especially in situations where turbulent and laminar flow fields differ given viscosity and Reynolds numbers. For high pressure systems, improved results are obtained with open celled metal foam having 40 pores per inch (PPI) and 7-8% relative density and is compressible
- The open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) can be manufactured at low cost using standard vacuum brazing, dip brazing and/or casting techniques known in the art. The open celled foam metal counter flow heat exchanger (1) of the invention is suitable for use in jet engines, car engines, and electronic cooling structures.
Claims (14)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/430,608 US20220113097A1 (en) | 2019-02-13 | 2020-02-12 | Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201962805168P | 2019-02-13 | 2019-02-13 | |
PCT/US2020/018009 WO2020168012A1 (en) | 2019-02-13 | 2020-02-12 | Open cell foam metal heat exchanger |
US17/430,608 US20220113097A1 (en) | 2019-02-13 | 2020-02-12 | Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20220113097A1 true US20220113097A1 (en) | 2022-04-14 |
Family
ID=69811903
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/430,608 Pending US20220113097A1 (en) | 2019-02-13 | 2020-02-12 | Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20220113097A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3924679A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2022520789A (en) |
SG (1) | SG11202108738PA (en) |
WO (1) | WO2020168012A1 (en) |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2005057119A1 (en) * | 2003-12-08 | 2005-06-23 | The Boeing Company | Phase-change heat exchanger |
US20070235174A1 (en) * | 2005-12-23 | 2007-10-11 | Dakhoul Youssef M | Heat exchanger |
US20090250191A1 (en) * | 2008-04-02 | 2009-10-08 | Northrop Grumman Corporation | Foam Metal Heat Exchanger System |
WO2011144417A1 (en) * | 2010-05-20 | 2011-11-24 | Nv Bekaert Sa | 3d porous material comprising machined side |
US20180100702A1 (en) * | 2016-10-11 | 2018-04-12 | Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation | Heat exchanger with support structure |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3616814A (en) | 1968-05-02 | 1971-11-02 | Edward L Hendey | Fluid flow control valve |
EP1533586B1 (en) * | 2003-11-24 | 2011-08-10 | Wieland-Werke AG | Two-fluid heat exchanger having flow management open-celled structures |
US7718246B2 (en) * | 2006-06-21 | 2010-05-18 | Ben Strauss | Honeycomb with a fraction of substantially porous cell walls |
-
2020
- 2020-02-12 US US17/430,608 patent/US20220113097A1/en active Pending
- 2020-02-12 JP JP2021547104A patent/JP2022520789A/en active Pending
- 2020-02-12 SG SG11202108738PA patent/SG11202108738PA/en unknown
- 2020-02-12 EP EP20711400.0A patent/EP3924679A1/en active Pending
- 2020-02-12 WO PCT/US2020/018009 patent/WO2020168012A1/en unknown
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2005057119A1 (en) * | 2003-12-08 | 2005-06-23 | The Boeing Company | Phase-change heat exchanger |
US20070235174A1 (en) * | 2005-12-23 | 2007-10-11 | Dakhoul Youssef M | Heat exchanger |
US20090250191A1 (en) * | 2008-04-02 | 2009-10-08 | Northrop Grumman Corporation | Foam Metal Heat Exchanger System |
WO2011144417A1 (en) * | 2010-05-20 | 2011-11-24 | Nv Bekaert Sa | 3d porous material comprising machined side |
US20180100702A1 (en) * | 2016-10-11 | 2018-04-12 | Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation | Heat exchanger with support structure |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP2022520789A (en) | 2022-04-01 |
SG11202108738PA (en) | 2021-09-29 |
WO2020168012A1 (en) | 2020-08-20 |
EP3924679A1 (en) | 2021-12-22 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
Kandlikar | Single-phase liquid flow in minichannels and microchannels | |
Shen et al. | Forced convection and heat transfer of water-cooled microchannel heat sinks with various structured metal foams | |
Senn et al. | Laminar mixing, heat transfer and pressure drop in tree-like microchannel nets and their application for thermal management in polymer electrolyte fuel cells | |
US8505616B2 (en) | Hybrid ceramic core cold plate | |
US7871578B2 (en) | Micro heat exchanger with thermally conductive porous network | |
US11706902B2 (en) | Cold plate with porous thermal conductive structure | |
US7905275B2 (en) | Ceramic foam cold plate | |
Haack et al. | Novel lightweight metal foam heat exchangers | |
US11480398B2 (en) | Combining complex flow manifold with three dimensional woven lattices as a thermal management unit | |
Lu et al. | Experimental investigation of Cu-based, double-layered, microchannel heat exchangers | |
EP3647709B1 (en) | Heat exchanger device | |
EP3353485A1 (en) | Integrated multi-chamber heat exchanger | |
Lin et al. | Experimental study on heat transfer and pressure drop of recuperative heat exchangers using carbon foam | |
Ansari et al. | Double-layer microchannel heat sinks with transverse-flow configurations | |
Khaled et al. | Cooling augmentation using microchannels with rotatable separating plates | |
Coskun et al. | A review of heat and fluid flow characteristics in microchannel heat sinks | |
US3477504A (en) | Porous metal and plastic heat exchanger | |
Flitsanov et al. | A cooler for dense-array CPV receivers based on metal foam | |
Shen et al. | Thermofluids performances on innovative design with multi-circuit nested loop applicable for double-layer microchannel heat sinks | |
US20220113097A1 (en) | Open Cell Foam Metal Heat Exchanger | |
Szabó | Additive manufacturing of cooling systems used in power electronics. A brief survey | |
JP4013883B2 (en) | Heat exchanger | |
US20120168128A1 (en) | Cooling augmentation using microchannels with rotatable separating plates | |
Zhao et al. | Combining a distributed flow manifold and 3D woven metallic lattices to enhance fluidic and thermal properties for heat transfer applications | |
Panse et al. | Evaluation of additively manufactured single-pass and two-pass enhanced microchannel heat sinks |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ERG AEROSPACE CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BENSON, MARK;HALL, MITCHELL;SCHAFFARZICK, DENVER;SIGNING DATES FROM 20211130 TO 20211202;REEL/FRAME:058437/0373 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE TO NON-FINAL OFFICE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: FINAL REJECTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |